English

Heerlen

Nestled in the foothills of the Limburg Downs and the Eifel region, Heerlen is a special place. Although it was founded by the Romans, it has the appearance and the facilities of a city that grew up in the twentieth century. Heerlen did not develop from a central core; it expanded outwards from the mining communities that surrounded the various coal pits dotted throughout the area. The mining industry spurred Heerlen's growth. Within just a hundred years it had transformed itself from a small collection of hamlets with about 6,000 inhabitants into a city of 90,000. This unusual history and its situation in two stream valleys have turned Heerlen into a city in which modern architecture and facilities are intertwined with green landscape features.

Other items we have in english:
   *  Cross-border
   *  Development
   *  Places of interest
   *  Shopping
   *  History
Cross-border 
Borders exist so people can cross them. Over here, border-crossings are an everyday affair for the local population and the municipal authorities.

Anyone looking up Heerlen on a map will notice that it borders Kerkrade, Brunssum and Landgraaf. The four towns form an urban population centre of about 270,000. Their inhabitants live, work and act as if they live in one large city.

That is why these towns and the rural municipalities surrounding them have entered into a partnership that enables them to exploit the special potential of this region more effectively. The partnership is called Parkstad Limburg; that is also the name given to the region, with Heerlen at its centre.

Its location on the border of  The Netherlands has also opened up splendid opportunities for its people and its administrators. One of the most striking projects thus far is Avantis, the cross-border business park developed by Heerlen and the German city of Aachen. Partnerships have extended into education as well, with Heerlen's Hogeschool Zuyd (a Dutch polytechnic) and Aachen's Fachhochschule (a German polytechnic) working together.

People on both sides of the border have discovered the amenities on the other side. Young people from here study in Aachen, and vice versa. Theatres, museums and other recreational facilities attract audiences and visitors from both communities. The city's many shops are popular not only with Dutch people for miles around, but also with their German neighbours. The Woonboulevard (Home Furnishings Boulevard) draws in millions of visitors every year, many of them from abroad.

Development
The work never stops in this young city. Right now, for example, it is building its reputation as a cultural centre by bringing together various cultural facilities in Het Glaspaleis (The Glass Palace), an internationally renowned example of modern architecture built in the 1930s. A major new development project has started just north of the central retail district. The result will be the Stadspark Oranje Nassau (Oranje Nassau City Park). The development will focus around the city's new railway and bus station with housing, shops, offices, a school and recreational facilities.

Places of interest
· Glaspaleis, Bongerd 18, tel: 045-5772200. Built in 1933-1935 by Frits P.J. Peutz. Reopened in 2003 after renovation.
· St. Pancratius church, Pancratiusplein 45, sacristy tel: 045-5714554. Built in Romanesque style in the first half of the 12th century.

Shopping
An increasing number of shoppers is discovering Heerlen as the number one shopping scene in the South. Our German neighbours have also found our department stores, boutiques and specialist shops. Particularly striking are the home furnishing centre Woonboulevard and the cosy Corio Center.

Late night shopping - Every Thursday until 9.00 pm
Shopping Sundays - The first Sunday of the month, except on public holidays and in the summer. For more dates please check these lists for 2008.